In the Steele Morning Air
by Linwe Elendil
Summary: Laura and Remington find themselves targets of an unknown organization. Have they finally run out of luck? Chapter 8 is here!
1. Bad Day

Disclaimer: It doesn't take a detective to figure out that I don't own Remington Steele, or anything associated with the show. I'm just a fan who felt like writing. That's it!

This story is set in the middle of the fourth season, after Mr. Steele recovers from "Santa Claus is Coming to Steele."

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It was a beautiful morning in Los Angeles. The sun shown brightly in the sky and even at 6:00 am the bustle of the city could already be heard mingling with lilting birdsong.

Laura wanted to shoot them all.

"Oh…" she moaned, punching off her alarm with slightly more force than was necessary. She fought the urge to stifle the day with a pillow to her face, and yawned. She and Mr. Steele had been following a case the night before that took them until "the wee small hours of the morning." Laura laughed – in one short, staccato burst – as she remembered Mr. Steele's rendition of the song while Fred drove them both home.

_I'll have to give Fred the rest of the week off_, she thought. _After last night, he deserves it._ She stretched slowly and stood. _I wish I could have the week off…_ She shook her head as she imagined Mr. Steele's reaction to such a suggestion. No doubt he would recommend a return trip to San Diego, or some such place, all in the name of relaxation. That is, if her admission of exhaustion didn't cause him to have a heart attack first!

But Laura was tired. She had been working nearly non-stop for years now. She loved to keep busy, but found that part of her just wanted to take a break. Not a long one, but for once she would love to be able to take a vacation without a case intruding! Crime seemed to follow the two of them around, and she had begun to wonder if it was her luck or his that never seemed to give them a moment's peace.

Running a hand over her face, Laura sighed and went to her closet. Deciding to forego the usual pantsuit, she picked out a dress to wear, laid it across her bed, and headed for the bathroom. She was just about to turn on the shower when a loud crash disturbed her peace.

She froze. Two voices drifted in from the closed door.

"Laura Holt? We know you're here." It was a deep voice. She imagined the man was slightly overweight.

"Why don't you make things easier for yourself, and come quietly?" This man was younger than the first, and likely in better shape. She heard them begin to search her loft.

Laura tensed. She locked the bathroom door, cringing at the slight clicking of the handle as she did so. Thirty seconds later, she heard one of the men test the door.

"Hey," he called out to his partner, "It's locked."

Laura gently unlocked the handle again, knowing the men were probably armed, and that bullets could easily penetrate the door. At least this way, she hoped to generate some confusion and possibly throw the men off guard. Her eyes fell on the fingernail file she had left on the counter, and she grabbed it; her muscles tense.

Sure enough the second man – the younger of the two – came a moment later, and twisted the handle. Laura flattened herself against the wall behind the door as it began to open. She fought to calm her breathing as she stood there, waiting.

It only opened a few inches before the second man said, "Must've been your imagination. Come on – she's not here. We'll have to tell the boss to go to plan B."

Laura felt relief wash over her as the men turned away. She began to cautiously lean forward to peer around the corner, when the bathroom door was suddenly kicked in. The edge of it caught her forehead, and the force of the blow slammed her head back against the wall behind her. Laura felt herself falling as everything slowly faded to black…

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Hope you enjoy the cliffhanger! I hope to have more posted soon.

As this is my first Remington Steele fic, I would – of course – appreciate reviews!


	2. Steele Going

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Remington Steele. I don't even own the typewriter he's named after.

Special thanks to JJScottishGirl for her review!

Now, on with the story…

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Steele pulled up to Laura's building, turned off the Auburn, and stood – straightening his tie. He brushed a hand through his hair as he climbed the stairs.

It was 9:00 am, and not like Laura to be this late for work, even after a long stakeout. He waited impatiently as the elevator took him to her floor, and thrust his hands into his pockets as the doors slid open. He strolled casually to her door, and was only slightly concerned at finding it unlocked.

He slid it open and peered in. "Laura?" Closing the door behind him, he began to look around. Steele passed by the kitchen area as he made his way to her room. From the looks of things, Laura hadn't eaten breakfast yet.

As he reached the stairs that led to her room, Steele cleared his throat. "Laura, did you finally succumb to the temptation of sleeping in?" He brushed the curtain gently aside to see Laura still in bed – she lay on her side, facing away from him. Chuckling softly, he sat on the edge of the bed and gently touched her shoulder. "Laura… Did you forget about our meeting with –" Steele stopped abruptly. Something wasn't right.

He leaned over her and brushed some hair away from her forehead, but felt something wet on his fingers. It was the sight of her blood that first made him panic. Turning her over, he swallowed heavily as he saw the line of blood that began at a cut on her forehead and trailed down into her hair. He shook out his handkerchief and placed it gently on the wound, even as he felt the barrel of the gun shoved into his back.

"Took you long enough, Steele," a gruff voice said behind him.

"If you've hurt her, I swear I'll kill you," was Steele's icy reply.

"Yeah, sure – very original. Now get up."

Steele stood slowly, the gun following him the whole way. "What did you do to her?"

The man, still behind him, suddenly grabbed his shoulder roughly. "She hit her head – she's very clumsy." He chuckled. "Shouldn't you be more concerned with what we're gonna do next?" Steele cringed as the man's hand found a pressure point and squeezed. "The boss wants to see the two of you. Pick her up, and let's get going. We don't want to keep the boss waiting…"

Steele nodded. "Of course not." The man released his shoulder, and stayed behind Steele. Evidently he did not want to be seen. Steele thought furiously, as he turned down Laura's blankets, searching for any plan that might enable them both to escape. He hesitated when he saw she was dressed only in a nightgown. "Um, would it be alright to at least clothe my associate in a robe and slippers? It appears she didn't have time to prepare for a meeting with the boss before she 'hit her head'."

The man's hand was back on Steele's shoulder as he straightened. "Why not? To the closet, Steele. And no sudden moves."

Steele sighed in resolution as they walked. "Why – just out of curiosity – did you feel the need to incapacitate my associate?" The man snorted his contempt.

"The boss has done his homework. He knows all about the two of you, and your receptionist, Ms. Krebs. He's heard about how much trouble Ms. Holt seems to cause when… coerced. He thought it best to prevent any such problems before they began. We might've overdone it a bit, but it was her fault for hiding behind the door."

Steele grunted. _We?_ _Hiding behind the door?_ He opened the closet, but was unable to catch a glimpse of the man due to the frosted glass. "I would admire your boss for his foresight, but I don't take kindly to people who attack without provocation. Especially when it's my associates they hurt in the process." He though briefly of Mildred. "Ms. Krebs isn't being strong-armed into meeting with the boss too, is she?"

"Nah," he said gruffly as they went back to Ms. Holt. "We won't be taking minutes during the meeting…" Steele began to wrap the robe carefully around Laura. The cut on her head was still bleeding, and Steele took a deep breath, forcing down his concern.

"I'll agree that you seem to have been overzealous in your work. Ms. Holt needs to see a doctor."

"Nothing doing, Steele. Finish up there, and let's get going."

Steele cradled Laura in his arms – taking special care with her head – and made his way to the door.

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What do you think?

I don't usually beg for reviews, but… please?


	3. Arrival

Disclaimer: Same as usual. Don't own Steele or anything involving the series. I even have to borrow the DVD's from my family! I'm a starving college student…

Sorry this chapter is shorter than the others, but I'll post more soon. After all, I can't leave things at a cliffhanger for long!

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Steele walked slowly down the steps, cradling Laura gently in his arms. He blinked as the bright morning sun assaulted his eyes.

"In the limo," the man behind him grunted, nudging Steele with his gun as if to drive the point home. A large black limousine turned the corner to stop right in front of Laura's building – it hadn't been there when he arrived. Steele was sure of it. _This must be the other man_, he mused, trying to catch a glimpse of the driver. The tinted window thwarted his efforts.

Steele tried not to look too concerned as he approached the car. The whole situation made him feel… frightened. Yes, he could admit his fear to himself, if not to anyone else. He clumsily opened the door and glanced toward the front of the car, but the partition was up. It seemed these men knew exactly what they were doing. It became more imperative that he get a glimpse of them somehow.

Placing Laura across the back seat, Steele took off his jacket and placed it underneath her head. He stood again, and stretched his tense muscles. Just as he started to turn his head to the right – one last attempt to see their abductors – the man's strong hand was back on his shoulder again. This time, however, the pain did not lessen. The man kept the vice-like pinch on Steele's nerve, and he began to see stars.

"Time to go." Hot breath blew against the back of Steele's neck, and it nearly made him shiver. "Nighty night!"

The butt of a gun crashed down on the back of his skull… and everything went black.

xxx

Laura jolted awake when she felt the impact. She sat up, but the pain in her head forced her to lie down again as her vision swam. _What happened?_ She thought as her fingers found the dried blood on her forehead. The limo went over another bump, as she searched her memory, but everything was a blank. The last thing she remembered was going to sleep last night. _Or was it last night?_ She had no way to know for sure how long she had been out, but her hair didn't feel exceptionally greasy – it couldn't have been long.

Taking a deep breath, she looked around. She was in a nondescript limo; they had just turned on Vine street. Laura knew this area of town well, and could easily keep track of where they were going. She started to take stock of her situation when she noticed Mr. Steele lying on the floor in front of her. His eyes were closed; his face still.

"Mr. Steele," Laura whispered – not wanting to alert their captors. She shook his shoulder. "Mr. Steele, wake up!" It took a few minutes to rouse him, but just as Laura began to worry, he stirred.

Grunting, he sat up. When he saw that Laura was awake, he opened his mouth to shout his gratitude, but she put a finger on his lips.

"I don't think they know we're awake, and I'd like to keep it that way," she whispered.

Steele nodded, then rubbed the back of his head. "Any idea where we're going?" he asked quietly.

"We turned on Vine a few minutes ago. Don't worry, I know where we are."

"What do you propose we do about our… situation?" He fished a handkerchief from his pocket and reached up to wipe the blood from her forehead. Laura grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

"I think we're here," she whispered, glancing out the windows. "Great. An abandoned warehouse. Clearly they don't care if we find our way back later. They won't stay." She heard the front doors open. "Quick!" she told him, "Lay down just like you were. Pretend you're still unconscious."

Steele did as she said, and Laura carefully lay down as well. It helped with the pain in her head, anyway. The last thing she saw before feigning sleep was the concerned look in Steele's blue eyes.

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I hope you liked it! I'll be back… 


	4. No way out

Disclaimer: All I own here are two characters that I've created and the warehouse that they're in (okay, I don't really own a warehouse…). The rest does not belong to me.

Thanks to all who have reviewed! I hope you like this next installment… It's a long one!

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Laura willed her muscles to relax as the back door of the limo opened.

"Looks like they're still out," said a man. The gruff voice stirred Laura's memory. _He's overweight_, she thought – but for some reason, she already knew that. Clearly she hadn't been hit in her sleep, but her still groggy mind wouldn't grant her the memories she was missing. The man continued. "Get the chairs."

"You'd better hope the two of them wake up before we get to the boss, Leo." This voice belonged to a younger man. One who seemed to have had a better upbringing than the first – if his diction and vocabulary were anything to go by. "He won't be happy if he doesn't get to talk to them."

Laura heard the clanking of a wheelchair being unfolded as the other passenger door of the limo opened. She stayed still as a blindfold was tied around her eyes, and did her best not to wince when Leo moved her head – none too gently. The second man lifted her out of the other door, and she found herself deposited in the wheelchair. Her head lolled painfully as she waited for them to bind her hands, but they didn't bother. Clearly she wasn't considered a threat.

"I'll get the other chair," Leo said as he shuffled off.

The second man's attention turned to Steele. He still lay on the floor of the limo, and had managed to open his eyes only slightly as Leo blindfolded Laura. He couldn't see the man's face from where he was laying, and Steele realized that if he had any hope of seeing their captors, now was his only chance. Just as the cloth began to touch his face, Steele brought up a hand – pushing the material away as he opened his eyes.

Steele found himself face to face with a fit man who could be no older than 30 – possibly even still in his late 20's. His bright green eyes stared at Steele in shock, and Steele noted the small scar that ran through the man's right eyebrow. His blond hair was impeccable, and his face clean shaven. Steele smiled at the man's incredulity in the second before his fist connected. The man fell out of the limo, and Steele jumped out the opposite door, heading for Laura.

"Mark!" he heard Leo call, "What's going on?" Leo was pushing another wheelchair up to the limo when he caught Steele's eye. He was still a good 15 feet away. "What the – ?" Leo began as Steele grabbed Laura's hand.

"Come on, Laura!" he yelled as she ripped the blindfold off.

They both ran for the warehouse door. Laura's head pounded, but she didn't stop. Steele pulled her along, and they were three feet from the door when a single shot rang out. Steele collapsed in a heap before her, and Laura – unable to stop her forward momentum – tripped over him and sprawled on the cement.

Ragged breathing behind her nearly caused her heart to stop. Laura crawled toward Steele – her head hurt too much for her to do anything else.

"Mr. Steele!" she bit her lip and choked down the looming tears. Steele opened his eyes, the pain evident in them as he clutched his right shoulder.

"I'm alright, Laura. It just grazed me."

Laura pulled the belt from her robe and wrapped it tightly around his bleeding upper arm as footsteps approached. It was Mark, his gun held ready.

"You'll find that I'm an excellent shot, Mr. Steele. Care to go one more round?" The cold glint in his eyes told Laura that he wouldn't be so kind next time. Steele obviously got the same message. He shook his head and stayed on the ground – the pain from his wound sapping whatever strength that adrenaline had leant him. "Good," Mark replied as he gestured for Leo to bring the chairs.

All too soon Laura and Steele were seated, blindfolded, and bound. Try as he might, Steele couldn't rid himself of the sinking feeling that crept into his stomach as they were pushed further into the warehouse.

Laura – in an effort to push down her own fear – frantically searched her mind for clues, or any hint that she might have missed. Their stakeout last night was routine; the client – the head partner of a major law firm – had hired them to see if an up-and-coming lawyer in the firm was embezzling some of the funds. They had followed the man all evening, but came up empty handed. Try as she might, Laura couldn't think of a connection between this latest case and their kidnappers. _It must be something from the past_, Laura mused. The only question that remained was; her past, or his?

The dark haired man that walked into her life 4 years ago had certainly had his share of adventures around Europe, and made many enemies in the process. But the fact remained that Mark had called him "Mr. Steele", which left Laura convinced that they knew nothing of his past.

_What could they be after?_ As Laura's mind could find no answer, she began to feel frightened again. She mentally cursed herself and tried to slow her breathing. Fear couldn't help her now – it only muddled her thoughts. Despite all of Mr. Steele's attempts to get her to behave rationally in the face of danger, Laura knew that her lack of emotion had kept her alive in all her years as a private investigator.

_Stop lying to yourself_, her mind countered. _You know why you're scared._ Laura took a deep breath as a gunshot sounded through her memory. Biting her lip, Laura remembered seeing Mr. Steele fall to the ground – shivered as she again saw the pain in his eyes. _All right,_ she told herself, _I get it. But being afraid for him isn't going to help either of us out of this. So just __**leave me alone!**_ One more deep breath, and the fear receded again. But before Laura had time to fully collect herself, the wheelchairs stopped moving.

"What is this?!" A man's voice echoed in what must be a large room. "I told you that they weren't to be injured!" He had obviously seen the dried blood on Laura's forehead and the wound on Mr. Steele's arm.

Leo seemed to shuffle his feet, but it was Mark who answered. "We had no choice, sir. They… resisted." Steele could hear a smile in his words. _He's obviously been enjoying himself_, he thought. Remembering the blow he had dealt the man, Steele almost chuckled. _Well, I hope he enjoyed that, too…_ Not that it had done them much good, he realized. _I just hope I get an opportunity for a repeat performance._

The boss' voice brought Steele back to reality. "You were at least competent enough to stop them from seeing your faces, I hope." More shuffling from Leo.

"Unfortunately, sir…" Mark began. He trailed off, leading Steele to believe that the boss had just gotten very angry. He heard whispering, and suddenly realized there must be someone else in the room. Laura noticed it too, and began to wonder if the man they were hearing was really "the boss" after all.

"I will deal with the two of you later," the supposed-boss replied. He shifted his attention to the two prisoners. "Mr. Steele, Ms. Holt… I am delighted that you could join me here."

Laura, deciding to take a gamble, answered, "Don't you mean, 'I'm delighted you could join _**us**_?' I can tell you're not alone. Your friend's whispers are awfully loud."

More whispering, followed by, "Very astute, Ms. Holt. You are right – I am not alone. My colleague chooses to remain anonymous in this matter, however."

"That's wise," answered Steele, "and a good security policy. We can identify your two henchmen on sight – and you as well, by your voice. Your friend, however, will undoubtedly be the only one to go free in all this."

"What gives you that impression, Mr. Steele?"

"Surely you realize that we will go to the police," he replied.

"And what makes you think that you will live long enough to do so?"

Laura answered this one. "If you wanted to kill us, you would have done it already. I'm guessing you need our help." Silence greeted her words, followed by more whispering.

"I can see that I have gotten the best, as I was assured," the "boss" responded. "Yes, I do need your help – but it's a delicate matter."

"What makes you think we'll help you?" Laura asked, incredulous.

"Because I know the truth about your supposed 'Mr. Steele'," the man replied, "And I will go to the police with everything if you do not take my case." Now it was Laura's turn to be shocked.

Steele wished that he could see the man's face. He struggled for a moment against the ropes that held him to the chair, to no avail. "How do we know you're not bluffing?" he asked.

"You don't, but do you really want to take that chance?"

"We'll see," Laura replied. "Exactly what do you want us to do?"

"You are going to break someone out of prison for me."

"Who?" Laura asked. An ominous silence swept through the room.

"Major Descoine."

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You know I would never turn down reviews, right?

;-)


	5. Insanity

Disclaimer: All the same here.

I know this is a short chapter, but I think it stands alone quite nicely. ;-)

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Laura laughed. "I don't think so," she replied curtly. "And you can tell _Minor_ Descoine – who is likely the one standing beside you – that that is our final decision."

Taking in the shocked silence around him, Steele chimed in. "I have to agree with my associate. There is no way we could ever be coerced into setting that lunatic at large again. If anything, I'm suddenly feeling a little more zealous about seeing his daughter join him behind bars."

"I know what you mean, Mr. Steele," Laura said, setting her jaw.

Quiet footsteps approached them, and a mild voice rang out in the stillness. "You two always thought you were so funny."

Laura and Remington blinked in the sunlight as their blindfolds were suddenly removed.

"Lily!" called the man seated on the docking platform before them, "What are you doing?!"

"They already know," she called over her shoulder. Disdain dripped from her voice.

"Well, they didn't know about me," he sulked.

"Thanks to your partner, we do now." Steele nodded him, and the man began to sweat, but did not reply.

Laura looked up at Lily. It had been two years since they had seen the girl; back when her father had tried to kill them both. She seemed infinitely older, and monumentally sad – as if the absence of her father had drained all happiness (and nearly all life) from her features. Part of Laura felt responsible for what had happened to the girl, but she refused to pity her.

"We won't help you, Lily," Laura said slowly, as if to a frightened child. "What your father did was wrong. He has to pay for it."

Without blinking, Lily roughly slapped Laura and Remington in two swift moves. "What about you?!" she screamed at them. "When do you pay?!" Laura's head throbbed from the force of the slap, and Steele felt a small drop of blood dribble from a cut in his lip.

They sat mute as Mark walked up to Lily and put his arm comfortingly around her shoulders. "It's alright," he whispered. "We will make them pay, remember? I promised…"

Lily smiled – or rather, her thin lips curved upward in the imitation of one – but it didn't reach her eyes. "Yes," she nodded. "I remember." She looked back at Laura and Remington. "I will put this as simply as I can," she whispered as she crouched down in front of them. Her eyes were cold. "Free my father… or I will kill you both. _Very_ slowly."

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Apologies if anyone knows Minor Descoine's real name and I've gotten it wrong. I don't think they ever say it on the show, but if someone does know, I would appreciate the information!

Thanks in advance for any reviews!


	6. An Old Friend

Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah. Not making any money here. As a matter of fact, I'm losing money, since I'm late for work!

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Laura stared at Minor Descoine in shock. The woman's cold gaze remained focused on her, as if expecting her to be the one to capitulate. Determined not to give in to this threat, Laura gritted her teeth and said nothing. Mr. Steele followed suit.

"I'll give you some time to think about it, shall I?" Lily said, before nodding to Mark and Leo. They each pulled a syringe out of their pocket and jabbed it roughly into their captive's shoulders. Laura felt her head fall forward, and watched the world darken as Lily laughed…

xXx

A steady, rhythmic beeping brought Laura back to consciousness. She opened her eyes slowly, very aware of her throbbing headache as she raised a hand to her forehead, and found a bandage covering her injury. An IV dripped slowly into her arm, and an oxygen cannula ran under her nose. Glancing to the left, she saw Mr. Steele; his arm bandaged. He had an identical IV and cannula, and he was looking right at her.

"Are you alright?"

Laura nodded gently. "You?"

"Mmm-hmm," was all he said in reply, but his eyes never left hers.

The intense concern in his gaze unnerved her, so Laura began looking around their windowless room. "Any idea how long we were out?"

Steele cleared his throat. "I would say about an hour or two. Not that long."

"How do you think we got here?"

"No idea, but I'm guessing one of the policemen outside the door might be able to tell us."

Laura looked to the right – a little too quickly, judging by the sharp pain she felt – and spotted the armed cops standing at attention. "What're they doing here?"

"They're here for your protection, Ms. Holt," said a voice that drifted in from the door. Laura managed to stifle a groan as Detective Jarvis stepped into the room. Mr. Steele was not quite so polite. He vented his frustration with a loud sigh, and a curt question.

"What are you doing here, Jarvis?"

The detective looked down at the floor, tracing the pattern of the linoleum with his shoe – failing in his sad attempt to mask his interest. "Well, I do have to admit the circumstances rather odd… There I was, typical day at the office – "

"Get to the point," Steele interrupted. Jarvis ignored him.

" – when I get an anonymous tip that Remington Steele and Laura Holt are in an abandoned warehouse on the south side of town." Laura couldn't hide her incredulity as she looked at Mr. Steele. He shook his head imperceptibly and she nodded. Neither one had any intention of telling the annoying detective anything.

"Imagine my surprise," Jarvis continued, missing the exchange, "when I find the two of you really _are_ there – drugged, injured, and tied to wheelchairs." He glanced at them both in turn. "So, who's going to tell me how you got there, huh?" Sarcasm dripped from his voice. Laura looked down at the end of her bed, her face impassive. "What, no takers?" Jarvis asked.

He grabbed Laura's medical chart from where it hung off the footboard and walked in between their two beds. Laura and Steele looked up at the man as he flipped the pages.

"I thought those were supposed to be confidential," Steele quipped. Jarvis closed the chart and tossed it in Laura's lap.

"Can't understand a thing it says anyway," Jarvis replied. "I should've been a doctor… Much better pay than us civil servants." He shrugged. Crouching between the two investigators, Jarvis stared them both down. "Whether you want to tell me about it or not, something happened to the two of you. I can't imagine why you'd want to keep it secret, but it doesn't matter. I'll find out what happened. You can bet on that."

Laura couldn't hide a smile of disdain. "Of course you will, detective." Jarvis scowled and opened his mouth to deliver what would have surely been a poor comeback. Luckily, a new arrival spared Laura and Remington from the man's slow wit.

"I don't care if you're from the Secret Service, I'm going in there!" With that, Mildred Krebs pushed her way into the already crowded hospital room. When she saw Jarvis, her eyebrows shot up and she waved a thumb in his direction. "What's this bozo doing here?"

"Just leaving, Miss Krebs," Jarvis answered. He looked back at the two patients. "You think about what I said." With a look of smug confidence, he brushed past Mildred and out the door, pausing only long enough to leave word with the guards. "No one else in or out, understood?" The men nodded, and with one last glance at Laura and Steele, he left.

"Great," Laura groaned. "As if things weren't complicated enough…" Steele nodded to Mildred, who closed the door. She pulled a chair up between their beds.

"What happened to you two? I was stalling four of your appointments for three hours before I got a call saying you were on your way to the hospital… I rescheduled everyone, and got here as soon as they all left." She glanced at their bandages, her brow furrowing. Steele cut off her unspoken concern.

"We're fine, Mildred. Just a few bumps and bruises." Laura glanced over at him, her eyebrows raised.

_Bumps and bruises?_ she thought. _You were shot!_

Mr. Steele tried to wave his right hand casually in the air, but the effort was too much for his injured arm, and he flopped it back down on the bed, wincing. "Alright, so there will be some recovery time involved," he admitted with a forced grin.

Laura flipped through the medical chart that Jarvis had dropped in her lap, expert eyes scanning for any crucial information. "Four days?" she blurted. Glancing at her colleagues she repeated, "They want to keep us here for four days!" Steele pursed his lips.

"Well, we can't stay that long. We have no idea how long she'll wait for an answer."

Mildred looked back and forth at them. "Who? What happened, anyway?"

Laura placed a hand on her friend's arm. "I don't think now is the best time to go into all of that." She glanced casually toward the closed door, the policemen visible through its small window. Mildred nodded, and Laura continued. "What we need is for you to find out everything you can about a Lily Spellman. And fast."

"You've come to the right place," Mildred replied with a smile. "Give me two hours and I'll have the woman's life history." She paused for a moment. "Wait… Spellman…" Her eyes widened as it hit her. "Wasn't that Des – "

"Yes," replied Mr. Steele, cutting her off, "But we wouldn't want anyone else to know about that just yet." He nodded toward the door again.

"Got it," Mildred replied soberly, lines of concern now etched on her face. She stood. "I've got work to do. You two take care of yourselves. I should be back soon." With one last look at her employers, Mildred swept from the room – her heels clicking on the hard floor.

Laura sighed and rested her head back against the pillows. "Now, how do we get out of here?"

Mr. Steele glanced toward the door again. She could see him thinking furiously behind those blue eyes. He grinned at her suddenly. "I'm sure we'll think of something."


	7. Escape

Disclaimer: I'm getting really tired of doing these, because I can't think of anything good to say! So for now, see the previous chapters. At least until my muse brings me some humor… ;-)

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"The police guard changes every four hours," Steele whispered. It was nearing 10:00 pm, and the detectives had been there since noon. Both were anxious to get back to the office. They had watched carefully as the guard changed at 2:00 pm, and again at 6:00 pm. "So as long as the new guards aren't the same ones that were here with Jarvis, we should be fine." At 9:00 pm he had laid out the plan for her, and Laura had called Mildred to give her detailed instructions. During their conversation, Steele had turned up the volume on the TV so the current guards wouldn't hear anything. 

At 9:45 pm precisely, Laura and Steele heard the sound of a cart being pushed down the hall. When it reached the door, it stopped – the guards were questioning someone. Ten seconds later, the door opened, and Mildred – dressed in full custodial garb – walked in, pushing a cart full of cleaning supplies.

The detectives got out of bed as Mildred pulled two spare uniforms from under some paper towels in her otherwise empty garbage bag. "Great work, Mildred," Laura whispered as Steele went into the bathroom to change. Once she was dressed, and her I.D. was in place, she pulled her hair up in to a cap – being sure to pull the brim low enough to cover her bandage. Mildred walked around the room, creating noise as she pretended to straighten things up for the benefit of the guards outside. Steele emerged, looking slightly pale as he cradled his right arm. Laura put a reassuring hand on his back. "We'll be out of here, soon." He nodded and took a fake I.D. from Mildred, which Laura helped him pin on his uniform. Using his left arm, he pulled on his own baseball cap.

"Are you alright?" Laura's face was filled with concern as she looked at him.

He decided not to lie or brush away her concern. "Let's just say I won't be playing sports any time soon." Steele looked at the clock on the wall. 9:58 pm. "Any second now…"

The three colleagues held their breath as footsteps approached.

"Anderson and Baker? We're here to relieve you."

"Thanks. Nothing to report. Custodial is in there now."

"Alright. Have a good one."

"You, too."

Once the footsteps had receded, Laura opened the door. Mildred pushed the cart – Mr. Steele gripped it with his left hand, trying not to lean too hard on it as they walked. After showing their badges to the new guards, the trio walked nonchalantly down the hall, and around the corner. Ditching the cart near a nurse's station, they got in the elevator and were soon walking calmly out the hospital's main doors.

xXx

"Bupkis!" Mildred exclaimed as soon as Laura and Steele had changed. "I couldn't find anything on her past the age of 18. It's like she disappeared!" She shrugged in frustration. "And if I can't find it…"

"That means the information doesn't exist," Laura filled in. She knew that Mildred was upset that she hadn't been of more help. "Don't worry," Laura continued, "We'll find her."

"In one person's opinion, at least," Steele said from the couch. Laura began to pace.

"Well, we can't just wait for her to show up on our doorstep again, that's for sure." She thought furiously. Steele couldn't help but find her adorable with her brow knit in concentration. He cleared his throat.

"Speaking of friends on our doorstep, it can't be long before Jarvis finds out we've flown the coop."

"You're right," Laura sighed. "We can't stay here at the office, that much is certain. We'll have to find a hotel somewhere and plan our next move." As she moved past him, Steele grabbed her arm with his good one and pulled her down to sit next to him. He leaned his head to rest on her right shoulder.

"As long as part of the plan involves sleep," he murmured.

"It's just the pain medicine," Laura replied, "It should wear off soon." She moved to stand, but spots swam across her vision and she was forced to sit again.

Steele nodded as he put his head back on her shoulder. "That's what I'm afraid of," he said simply.

"Alright," Laura began again once she could see clearly, "Mildred, Mr. Steele and I will find a hotel. If Jarvis should call or come by – "

"Don't worry, I'll lead him in so many circles that he'll have to get on a merry-go-round just to slow down!"

"Well put Mildred," Mr. Steele replied. He sat up slowly, trying to hide a wince of pain. Judging by the look in Laura's eyes, he'd failed. "We should get going," he said, as he stood. He offered his good hand to Laura, and she leaned on him slightly as she stood. They looked knowingly at each other, both trying to bury their concern.

"We make quite a pair, don't we, Mr. Steele?"

"I've always thought so," he answered – a slight glint in his eye.

* * *

More to come! Sorry it has taken me a while to update… 


	8. Rest

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything.

Thanks to those who have waited patiently for this chapter! I've been waiting for the muse to strike!

* * *

Laura knocked tentatively on the connecting door between her room and Mr. Steele's. The last few hours had been a bit tiresome, and part of her wondered if he would still be awake.

"Mmm-hmm." Laura couldn't make out the words through the door, but she took them to mean she had permission to enter, so she turned the knob.

"Ah there you are, Mrs. Johnson. Come to play doctor so soon?" She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It was a safe bet that the downstairs clerk had swallowed the story about Mr. Steele being a famous rugby player from England on holiday to the States while recovering from an injury. "Mrs. Johnson" was a sports medicine specialist hired to take care of him while in America. Laura hoped the young man had already forgotten all about them.

She walked over to the bed, where Steele lay sprawled. "Move over," she said simply, trying not to wince as he slowly readjusted his wounded arm. She lay down on the other side of him, careful not to jostle him too much. When she was comfortable, she draped one arm over his chest and buried her face in his shoulder. She hoped he was too far gone to notice the tears that crept silently down her cheeks – and she might have gotten away with it, if not for the fact that they were soaking into the fabric of his shirt. He woke instantly and, snaking his good arm under her shoulders, reached up to run his fingers through her hair.

"There, there," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "It's going to be fine. You'll see."

"H-how?" she stuttered, furious with herself for being so vulnerable. But she only cried harder. "You can't know that." His second arm useless, Steele silenced her with a look instead of a finger to her lips. Intense blue eyes stared into hers, and for the first time that night, Laura felt a sense of calm.

"After all these years," he said softly, "don't you trust me?"

Laura sniffed as she felt her sobs calm. "With my life, Mr. Steele." He leaned down to kiss her, softly… gently – his arms warm and safe. Fatigue pressed in on her, and Laura surrendered to it's demands with a sigh.

_With my life,_ she thought again as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Short, but sweet. Am I right?

;-)

(The next one should be longer. I just decided to post this now, rather than make you wait even more!)


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